Fabric materials, and particularly carpet fabrics, are usually prepared by selecting a primary backing material and tufting the backing using a needle tufting process. Standard gauge carpets are generally produced to have approximately 8 to 13 tufts per inch in the across machine direction (AMD) and 7 to 11 tufts in the machine direction (MD). Although it is often desirable to obtain more densely tufted fabrics, these materials are extremely difficult to prepare. The problems which are typically encountered include a reduction in production speed because, for example, as the tufts are brought closer together, an inherently slower shift mechanism must be used to stagger the tufts. Such complex equipment is inherently more difficult to use than conventional equipment, and overall operating efficiency is often reduced.
The textures which may be obtained are also limited because of the necessary use of smaller yarn sizes and narrower tufting gauges. Aside from being more expensive, these materials also cause difficulties with non-woven backings because of the number of perforations which are placed in small areas of the backing. Thus, because of the physical disruption to the backing, such materials are more difficult to hand-repair in place, a procedure which can readily be achieved with conventionally tufted materials. Accordingly, it is seen that previous attempts to produce densely tufted products have often led to slower production times, increased incidences of mechanical problems and more expensive products.